Thursday, 22 August 2013

3,000 kidney patients in Uva may die within six to ten months

The Uva Provincial Health Ministry today said it feared that a majority of the 3,000 kidney patients now receiving treatment might be dead within the next six to ten months. “Some 3,000 kidney patients are receiving medical treatment in Uva Province and their lives are at risk,” Uva Provincial Health Secretary Sandhya Ambanwala said. She said the investigations carried out by doctors, university professors and health ministry officials had revealed that the disease was caused by the use of arsenic, pesticide and chemical fertilizer.
Meanwhile, a majority of ordinary patients suffering from chronic renal failure in the North Central, North Eastern and Mahaweli B zone areas had to buy costly drugs from pharmacies to be used in the dialysis machines.Although the Health Ministry spends around Rs.3,500 million annually for the treatment of nearly 30,000 kidney patients, adequate funds had not been allocated to purchase drugs required for renal dialysis treatment,Health Ministry sources said.

North Central Province Medical Officer (Planning) Dr.Dammika de Silva told that the patients had to purchase the required drugs from private pharmacies and due to this many patients were compelled to neglect the prescribed treatment. Dr.de Silva said that hundreds of people living in Madawachchiya, Padaviya, Kebethigollawa, Elahara and Mahaweli B Zone are seeking medical attention due to chronic kidney failure.Although medical experts were of the view that ,cooking in aluminium pots,illicit liquor brewed with agro-chemicals and drinking water without boiling were the cause for chronic kidney failure.

Referring to the preventive programmes,Dr.de Silva said that the root cause for kidney failure had not been detected and mismanagement of preventive programmes introduced had also aggravated the rapid spread of the disease.Even though the spread of kidney disease was on the increase so far no action had been taken to conduct scientific research with the assistance of international medical experts.Local and international medical experts had substantiated that high content of fluoride in the water was not the cause for chronic renal failure.

Preventive programmes and research work were mismanaged so that new cases had increased.Clinical management on kidney patients left much to be desired.If the health authorities fail to take appropriate action to prevent the spread of the disease there will be thousands of new patients in another five years time. Health authorities warned. He noted that babies born to kidney patients could have deformities.Purchasing drugs for renal dialysis machines at subsidised prices could relieve ordinary people from neglecting treatment.